Where Music Comes to Play

Archive for d-click

As a growing number of portable devices are offering Bluetooth functions, Panasonic has enhanced the D-Snap SV-SD850N to offer A2DP, AVRCP, and HFP Bluetooth profiles. The SV-SD950N makes use of the missing corner of its controls as it implements a button which allows calls to be made and received when paired with a mobile phone. It is also possible to transferring files and transmitting audio to Bluetooth headphones or speakers.

The SV- SD950N still offers the same features as the previous model, including the 60 hour battery life, noise isolation, and storage relying completely on SD/SDHC cards. The additional Bluetooth capabilities do come at a price as the new model will sell for an equivalent of about $220.

Pictures of iriver players yet to be released have been splashed all over the company’s Korean site in the past week, most without more information than what we were already presented with at CES earlier the year. At the moment, the attention is focused on a fresh portable media player we’ve not seen before, the P10.

So far we can tell that the P10 will be of a smaller than average size for a PMP with a screen that makes up the majority of it. Lack of tactile controls suggests that a D-Click system will be used. For now it’s probably safe to assume that the chic device will also be available in white and black, but more information is bound to arise before the launch later this year.

Music and video content from Japanese satellite content provider Mobile USEN will make its way onto iriver’s U: MO PMP by the end of the month, but it will not be available for purchase. Instead, the player can only be rented for ¥2200 ($18) with Mobile USEN content for an extra ¥980 ($8).

The body of the device appears to be identical to the DMB-enabled B20, and it shares the same 2.4-inch display (with 320 x 240 pixels and 260k colors), D-Click navigation system, arrangement of tactile buttons, file formats (MP3, WMA, OGG Vorbis, WMV, and MPEG-4), and black and white colors. As more emphasis is placed on the availability of 8 video and 40 music channels (both types are recordable), the U: MO will only have a 1GB capacity. Expansion is offered through a MicroSD slot and the comparatively large antenna can be removed to reduce the size.

Take a quick look and you could easily mistake this sweet little player for a slimmed down version of the iRiver clix. But in fact, it’s the brand new iRiver S10, the latest addition to the company’s line of devices utilizing the D-Click interface. The featherweight S10 tips the scales at 0.61 ounces and measures just 1.65″ x 1.18″ x 0.43″, so the 8-hour battery life is disappointing but not too unexpected. Supported file types include MP3, ASF, Ogg Vorbis, and WMA audio; there’s also an FM radio and recorder.

The measly support of only BMP images and tiny 1.15″ OLED display are both clear indications that the player won’t be venturing out of its “DAP with no video” category, but who cares? This thing is tiny! (Check out the picture after the jump for proof)

Beginning September 18, the lucky folks in South Korea can snag the 1GB and 2GB players for about $140 and $175, respectively.

abi Editor's Choice

SanDisk Sansa Clip+

The Clip+ has a fantastic little form factor; somewhat cheap in build quality but very rugged. The interface is simple and relatively straightforward. The features on the Clip are more or less average, however it supports the alternative Rockbox firmware which provides tons of additional options (gapless playback, Replaygain, playlists, Last.fm scrobbling, etc). Read the full review or go ahead and buy it.

Cowon J3

The J3 is a fantastic PMP with a very nice AMOLED screen and tons of features. It sports Cowon's trademark BBE sound enhancements, and offers a customizable user interface with strong support by our user community. You can usually find it at Amazon for the best price - and don't forget to check out our review.

Microsoft Zune HD

Sure, many of us are not big fans of the walled garden, but there are a lot of great things going on with the Zune: sturdy hardware, ultra easy to use user interface, and a media player that is worthy of Editor’s Choice. You can check out our Zune HD review or stop by our Zune forums for the latest info and gossip.

Phonak Audéo PFE

Phonak Audéo PFE offer outstanding clarity and precision; natural, dynamic mids and treble, and decent bass for a single armature in-ear phone. They handle dense, complex music very well. The PFE work well with most acoustic and some electronic music genres, but bassheads might have to look at other alternatives. They're great for sports as well, since they fit very securely. Check out our review.

Hippo VB

The Hippo VB (Variable Bass) offers a serious subwoofer for on the go, right in your head. They don’t just deliver generous quantities of punchy, textured bass, but good audio quality over the whole frequency range with decent clarity and exceptional soundstage. Exchangeable bass ports let you customize their sound to your liking. Read our in-depth Hippo VB review.

Soundmagic E10 / E30

The Soundmagic E10 and E30 are basically right in the middle between the Phonak PFE and Hippo VB - not too analytical sounding, not too bass heavy. The E10 provide a bit more bass, the E30 a bit more clarity. Both come with a very fair price tag considering the sound quality they deliver - a great choice for the audio aficionado on a budget. Read our E10 and E30 reviews for more info.